New publication – EU Buildings Climate Tracker: A call for faster and bolder action

Buildings represent a significant potential for GHG emissions mitigation and the EU has many policies in place to help promote the improved energy performance of buildings. The policy foundation is the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive that is currently being revised. In fact the next negotiations (the trialogue) between the European Council, European Parliament and … Continue reading New publication – EU Buildings Climate Tracker: A call for faster and bolder action →

Energy in Demand News, November 19, 2023

This week the Financial Times reported (behind a paywall) that oil and gas companies face “virtually no extra borrowing costs compared with less polluting companies, despite efforts by the UN and international organisations to encourage banks and big investors to reduce their lending to the fossil fuel sector which is behind global warming.” The S&P … Continue reading Energy in Demand News, November 19, 2023 →

Backed by the EU, Namibia has a $20 billion plan to export green hydrogen

For Namibia, green hydrogen could be transformative. Backed by the EU, Namibia has a $20 billion plan to export green hydrogen. A secretive tender process raises concerns for nature and citizens. In an article on the Climate Home News website, John Grobler, Joe Lo and Matteo Civillini discuss how the EU is supporting the development … Continue reading Backed by the EU, Namibia has a $20 billion plan to export green hydrogen →

Micro wind turbines designed to look like trees are addressing some of the challenges of green energy

This nature-inspired ‘wind tree’ can produce renewable energy in urban environments. Angela Symons discusses these ‘wind trees’ in an article on the Euronews website. Could ‘wind trees’ with micro turbines be a solution to green energy in tight urban spaces? From community solar farms to co-owned wind turbines, eco-inventors are coming up with new … Continue reading Micro wind turbines designed to look like trees are addressing some of the challenges of green energy →

Canada’s “climate adaptation gap” needs to change

In an article on The Conversation website, Will Greaves, Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Victoria and Yvonne Su, Assistant Professor in the Department of Equity Studies at York University, Canada write about the need in Canada to take an entirely new approach to address the climate disasters that are devastating the … Continue reading Canada’s “climate adaptation gap” needs to change →

New report on importance of driving forward industrial energy efficiency

Manufacturers have been hit by soaring gas and electricity prices hitting record highs, leaving businesses desperate to cut their energy use, according to a new report Driving Industrial Energy Efficiencies, published this week by Make UK and Inspired PLC. Driving forward industrial energy efficiency is key to meeting net zero targets The new research … Continue reading New report on importance of driving forward industrial energy efficiency →

With a plan to spend €20 billion on a hydrogen pipe network, Germany bids to solve the hydrogen economy’s ‘chicken-and-egg’ dilemma

In an article on the Euractiv website, Nikolaus J. Kurmayer discusses Germany’s plans to build a network of hydrogen pipelines by 2032. Is this the right approach for the energy transition? Germany to back €20 billion bid to build hydrogen pipe network The German government is poised to put its weight behind a network … Continue reading With a plan to spend €20 billion on a hydrogen pipe network, Germany bids to solve the hydrogen economy’s ‘chicken-and-egg’ dilemma →

Paris to hold vote on whether SUVs should pay more for parking

The vote, to be held next February 4th, will be the second city-wide referendum on urban matters, after residents in April voted to ban rental e-scooters from the capital. An AFP news item on the Le Monde website discusses the upcoming referendum. Paris will have residents vote on increasing parking fees for heavy SUVs … Continue reading Paris to hold vote on whether SUVs should pay more for parking →

Changing how we think about climate action just might change what we do

Daniel Steel from the University of British Columbia, C. Tyler DesRoches from Arizona State University and Kian Mintz-Woo from the University College Cork write on The Conversation website about the need to abandon viewing our climate actions as a sacrifice. Do you agree? Effective climate action requires us to abandon viewing our efforts as … Continue reading Changing how we think about climate action just might change what we do →

New EEA briefing on benefits of nature-based climate adaptation

Nature-based solutions, such as restoring wetlands in flood-prone areas or green infrastructure to reduce heat island effects in cities, need to be scaled up and expanded to help Europe better cope with the impacts of climate change. A European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing, published this week, assesses the current state of such climate adaptation projects … Continue reading New EEA briefing on benefits of nature-based climate adaptation →